Gastonia and Gotha share a twenty-year partnership

Gastonia Mayor Jick Garland and Oberburgermeister Werner Kukulenz sign the Gastonia/Gotha Sister Cities agreement in 1993, surrounded by city council and board members from both cities.

By Jennie Stultz

Published: Saturday, April 20, 2013 at 04:26 PM.

In 1992, when Gastonia was looking to engage in an international Sister City relationship, a board of directors was formed to join Sister Cities International and to adopt official guidelines in establishing the partnership. Kurt Schollar, Sister Cities Board Member, connected Gastonia to Gotha, Germany and a long term friendship was formed. Gotha, located in former East Germany, was transitioning into a new city as the Berlin Wall had come down and manufacturing jobs left the area in 1989. Gastonia was re-inventing herself through the steady loss of textile jobs. Both cities shared museums, parks, a passion for center-city development and desired an inspiring international partnership. The story unfolds like a virtual international E-Harmony.com for the two cities. After going through all the official protocol, a fast friendship developed between the two re-emerging cities. Today, both cities celebrate redevelopment, retail expansion and a growing manufacturing base Mayor Jick Garland and Oberburgermeister Werner Kukulenz signed the Gastonia/Gotha Sister Cities agreement in 1993, surrounded by city council and board members from both cities. Since that time, four Gastonia mayors — Jick Garland, Porter McAteer, myself and John Bridgeman and three Gotha mayors — Werner Kukulenz, Volker Doenitz and Knut Kreuch have continued the tradition of yearly student exchanges ranging in venue from cultural and governmental to civic interactions. An estimated 400 students, elected officials, volunteers and business representatives from both cities have exchanged visits to share commonalities and differences and to share the Sister Cities’ philosophy of “Peace through People.” Perhaps the best success stories from the 20 year relationship is the example set by three young Gaston County women who, as students, traveled on exchanges to Gotha during their high school years. Nicole Murphey, Hannah Anderson and Stephanie Schollar Hinrichs participated in student exchanges and were inspired by the German culture. All three young women speak fluent German. Hannah returned to do further studies in Gotha and now teaches German at Ashbrook High School with aspirations to enter medical school. Nicole is an international attorney with BridgehouseLaw in Charlotte. Stephanie is Legal Marketing and Business Development Director for Littler Mendelson in Charlotte. All three outstanding young women co-emceed the Twenty-Year Sister Cities Celebration on April 19, sponsored by German-owned companies — Daimler, Roeching and Lanxess — and the Gaston Regional Chamber. Mayor John Bridgeman and Oberburgermeister Knut Kreuch signed an official document of commitment to the partnership, surrounded by city council members and board members from both cities. “We are re-dedicating ourselves to a continued relationship, sharing our culture, family values, pride for country and respect for each other,” said Mayor Bridgeman.

THE TIES THAT BIND

More than 300 local Gaston County Students have traveled to Gotha since 1993.

More than 100 citizens, city officials, city employees such as fire, police, museum officials have traveled to Germany and many holding those same jobs in Gotha have visited here.

Through Rotary Exchange, some students have had the opportunity to spend a year in Gotha and students from there have come to stay here.

Gotha has sent boy scouts, a youth choir, rotary students, and medical students to visit Gastonia.

Residents of the two cities who have visited each other, stay in touch through Facebook

Source: Gastonia Sister Cities

Former Gastonia mayor Jennie Stultz has been a driving force behind the Sister Cities program and helped organize the 20th anniversary celebration of the link between Gastonia and Gotha.

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In 1992, when Gastonia was looking to engage in an international Sister City relationship, a board of directors was formed to join Sister Cities International and to adopt official guidelines in establishing the partnership. Kurt Schollar, Sister Cities Board Member, connected Gastonia to Gotha, Germany and a long term friendship was formed.
Gotha, located in former East Germany, was transitioning into a new city as the Berlin Wall had come down and manufacturing jobs left the area in 1989. Gastonia was re-inventing herself through the steady loss of textile jobs. Both cities shared museums, parks, a passion for center-city development and desired an inspiring international partnership.
The story unfolds like a virtual international E-Harmony.com for the two cities. After going through all the official protocol, a fast friendship developed between the two re-emerging cities.
Today, both cities celebrate redevelopment, retail expansion and a growing manufacturing base
Mayor Jick Garland and Oberburgermeister Werner Kukulenz signed the Gastonia/Gotha Sister Cities agreement in 1993, surrounded by city council and board members from both cities. Since that time, four Gastonia mayors — Jick Garland, Porter McAteer, myself and John Bridgeman and three Gotha mayors — Werner Kukulenz, Volker Doenitz and Knut Kreuch have continued the tradition of yearly student exchanges ranging in venue from cultural and governmental to civic interactions.
An estimated 400 students, elected officials, volunteers and business representatives from both cities have exchanged visits to share commonalities and differences and to share the Sister Cities’ philosophy of “Peace through People.”
Perhaps the best success stories from the 20 year relationship is the example set by three young Gaston County women who, as students, traveled on exchanges to Gotha during their high school years. Nicole Murphey, Hannah Anderson and Stephanie Schollar Hinrichs participated in student exchanges and were inspired by the German culture. All three young women speak fluent German.
Hannah returned to do further studies in Gotha and now teaches German at Ashbrook High School with aspirations to enter medical school.
Nicole is an international attorney with BridgehouseLaw in Charlotte.
Stephanie is Legal Marketing and Business Development Director for Littler Mendelson in Charlotte.
All three outstanding young women co-emceed the Twenty-Year Sister Cities Celebration on April 19, sponsored by German-owned companies — Daimler, Roeching and Lanxess — and the Gaston Regional Chamber.
Mayor John Bridgeman and Oberburgermeister Knut Kreuch signed an official document of commitment to the partnership, surrounded by city council members and board members from both cities.
“We are re-dedicating ourselves to a continued relationship, sharing our culture, family values, pride for country and respect for each other,” said Mayor Bridgeman.

THE TIES THAT BIND

More than 300 local Gaston County Students have traveled to Gotha since 1993.

More than 100 citizens, city officials, city employees such as fire, police, museum officials have traveled to Germany and many holding those same jobs in Gotha have visited here.

Through Rotary Exchange, some students have had the opportunity to spend a year in Gotha and students from there have come to stay here.

Gotha has sent boy scouts, a youth choir, rotary students, and medical students to visit Gastonia.

Residents of the two cities who have visited each other, stay in touch through Facebook

Source: Gastonia Sister Cities

Former Gastonia mayor Jennie Stultz has been a driving force behind the Sister Cities program and helped organize the 20th anniversary celebration of the link between Gastonia and Gotha.